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Jan. 28, 2021
Scharf Fund
Scharf Fund
Investment Objective
The Scharf Fund (the “Scharf Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Scharf Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Retail
Class
Institutional
Class
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held for 60 days or less)
2.00%2.00%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees0.78 %0.78 %
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.25 %None
Other Expenses (includes Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee)0.20 %0.20 %
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee0.10%0.10%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
1.23 %0.98 %
Less: Fee Waiver(2)
-0.09 %-0.09 %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver1.14 %0.89 %
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Scharf Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the Expense Cap only in the first year).
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
Retail Class$116$381$667$1,481
Institutional Class$91$303$533$1,193
Portfolio Turnover
The Scharf Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 52.15% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal market conditions, the Scharf Fund primarily invests in equity securities that the Adviser believes have significantly more appreciation potential than downside risk over the long term. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stock of companies of all size market capitalizations, rights and warrants. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers listed on foreign exchanges (excluding depositary receipts), including up to 25% of its total assets in issuers in emerging markets. The Fund may invest without limit in depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). The Fund may also invest up to 30% of its total assets in non-money market investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest in Rule 144A securities.
In general, the Adviser utilizes five key elements in its equity investment philosophy: low valuation, discount to fair value, investment flexibility, focus and long-term perspective. Through a proprietary screening process, the Adviser seeks to identify investments with low valuations combined with growing earnings, cash flow and/or book value which the Adviser describes as “growth stocks at value prices.” The Scharf Fund may also invest in “special situations,” which may occur when the securities of a company are affected by circumstances, including, but not limited to, hidden assets (i.e., assets that may be undervalued on a company’s balance sheet or otherwise difficult to value and therefore not properly reflected in the company’s share price), spinoffs, liquidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, mergers, management changes and technological changes.
In addition, the Scharf Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in fixed-income securities. Fixed-income securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, those of domestic and foreign governments, government agencies, inflation-protected securities, asset-backed securities, exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”), money market instruments, convertible securities, bank debt, limited partnerships, municipalities and companies across a wide range of industries, market capitalizations and maturities and may include those that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”). The types of asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest include mortgage-backed securities.
The Scharf Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities, money market mutual funds and money market instruments due to a lack of suitable investment opportunities or for temporary defensive purposes.
When selling securities, the Adviser considers the same factors it uses in evaluating a security for purchase and generally sells securities that it believes no longer have sufficient upside potential.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Losing all or a portion of your investment is a risk of investing in the Scharf Fund. The following risks are considered principal and could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
Market and Regulatory Risk.  Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole. Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity. Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments. The Fund's investments may decline in value due to factors affecting individual issuers (such as the results of supply and demand), or sectors within the securities markets. The value of a security or other investment also may go up or down due to general market conditions
that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest rates or exchange rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, unexpected events and their aftermaths, such as the spread of deadly diseases; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; financial, political or social disruptions; terrorism and war; and other tragedies or catastrophes, can cause investor fear and panic, which can adversely affect the economies of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen.
Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value.
Management Risk. The Scharf Fund is an actively managed portfolio. The Adviser’s management practices and investment strategies might not produce the desired results. The Adviser may be incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s appreciation potential.
Foreign and Emerging Market Securities Risk. Investments in foreign currencies and foreign issuers are subject to additional risks, including political and economic risks, greater volatility, civil conflicts and war, sanctions or other measures by the United States or other governments, liquidity risks, currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible foreign controls on investment, expropriation and nationalization risks, and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of foreign markets. Events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable becoming riskier and more volatile. These risks are magnified in countries in “emerging markets.” Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers.
Depositary Receipt Risk.  Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, including, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad, currency movements and different legal, regulatory and tax environments.
Foreign Currency Risk. Currency movements may negatively impact value even when there is no change in value of the security in the issuer’s home country.  Currency management strategies may substantially change the Scharf Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the Adviser expects.
Large-Sized Company Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges like changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. In addition, large-cap companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
Small- and Medium-Sized Company Risk. Small- and medium-sized companies often have less predictable earnings, more limited product lines, markets, distribution channels or financial resources and the management of such companies may be dependent upon one or few key people. The market movements of equity securities of small- and medium-sized companies may be more abrupt and volatile than the market movements of equity securities of larger, more established companies or the stock market in general and small-sized companies in particular, are generally less liquid than the equity securities of larger companies.
Investment Style Risk. The Adviser follows an investing style that favors relatively low valuations.  At times when this style is out of favor, the Scharf Fund may underperform funds that follow different investing styles.
Investment Company Risk. When the Scharf Fund invests in an ETF or mutual fund, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s or mutual fund’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees. The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETF or mutual fund holds. The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs.
Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The following risks are associated with the Scharf Fund’s investment in fixed-income securities.
Prepayment and Extension Risk. The risk that the securities may be paid off earlier (prepayment) or later (extension) than expected. Either situation could cause securities to pay lower-than-market rates of interest, which could hurt the Scharf Fund’s yield or share price.
Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s investments in fixed income securities will change in value based on changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of these investments generally declines. Securities with greater interest rate sensitivity and longer maturities generally are subject to greater fluctuations in value.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer’s financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer’s securities and may lead to the issuer’s inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal.
High-Yield Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”) are subject to additional risk factors due to the speculative nature of these securities, such as increased possibility of default liquidation of the security, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer.
Municipal Securities Risk. Municipal securities rely on the creditworthiness or revenue production of their issuers or auxiliary credit enhancement features. Municipal securities may be difficult to obtain because of limited supply, which may increase the cost of such securities and effectively reduce a portfolio’s yield. Typically, less information is available about a municipal issuer than is available for other types of securities issuers.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk.  Asset-backed securities are subject to certain risks including prepayment and call risks. When an obligation is prepaid and when securities are called, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or fail to recover additional amounts (i.e., premiums) paid for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected capital loss and/or a decrease in the amount of dividends and yield. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may be subject to extension risk, and may receive principal later than expected. As a result, in periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility. During periods of difficult or frozen credit markets, significant changes in interest rates, or deteriorating economic conditions, such securities may decline in value, face valuation difficulties, become more volatile and/or become illiquid.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed-income securities as described above, the structure of certain mortgage-backed securities may make their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, which may cause their prices to be more volatile than other fixed-income securities.
Exchange-Traded Note Risk.  The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying securities’ markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced index.  In addition, the notes issued by ETNs and held by the Scharf Fund are unsecured debt of the issuer.
Bank Debt Risk.  The Scharf Fund’s investments in secured and unsecured assignments of bank debt may create substantial risk.  In making investments in such debt, which are loans made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest.
Inflation Protected Securities Risk.  The value of inflation protected securities generally will fluctuate in response to changes in “real” interest rates, generally decreasing when real interest rates rise and increasing when real interest rates fall. Real interest rates represent nominal (or stated) interest rates reduced by the expected impact of inflation. In addition, interest payments on inflation-indexed securities will generally vary up or down along with the rate of inflation.
Convertible Bond Risk.  Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt security risks and equity risk.  Convertible bonds are subject to equity risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond.  The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.
Rule 144A Securities Risk. The market for Rule 144A securities typically is less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Rule 144A securities carry the risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Scharf Fund to sell these securities.
Special Situations Risk. There is a risk that the special situation (i.e., spin-off, liquidation, merger, etc.) might not occur, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Scharf Fund. In addition, investments in special situation companies may be illiquid and difficult to value, which will require the Fund to employ fair value procedures to value its holdings in such investments.
Performance
The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Scharf Fund. The bar chart shows the annual returns for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year to year. The table shows how the Fund’s average annual returns for 1 year, 5 year and since inception compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.scharffunds.com or by calling the Fund toll-free at 866-5SCHARF.
Annual Returns as of December 31 – Institutional Class
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During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 13.16% (quarter ended June 30, 2020) and the lowest return for a calendar quarter was -15.60% (quarter ended March 31, 2020).
Average Annual Total Returns(for the periods ended December 31, 2020
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2020
Institutional Class(1)
1 Year5 Year
Since
 Inception
(12/30/2011)
Return Before Taxes
12.97%10.09%12.12%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
12.01%8.91%11.24%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
8.32%7.85%9.90%
Retail Class(1)
Return Before Taxes
12.65%9.78%11.83%
S&P 500® Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
18.40%15.22%15.27%
The after-tax returns were calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold shares of the Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”).
Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund
Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund
Investment Objective
The Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund (the “Multi-Asset Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation and income.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Multi-Asset Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Retail ClassInstitutional Class
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held for 15 days or less)
2.00%2.00%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees0.99%0.99%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.25%None
Other Expenses (includes Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee)0.50%0.50%
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee0.10%0.10%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses0.02%0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
1.76%1.51%
Less: Fee Waiver(2)
-0.51%-0.51%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver1.25%1.00%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Retail ClassInstitutional Class
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held for 15 days or less)
2.00%2.00%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees0.99%0.99%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.25%None
Other Expenses (includes Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee)0.50%0.50%
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee0.10%0.10%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses0.02%0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
1.76%1.51%
Less: Fee Waiver(2)
-0.51%-0.51%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver1.25%1.00%
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Multi-Asset Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the Expense Cap only in the first year).
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
Retail Class$127$504$906$2,031
Institutional Class$102$427$775$1,758
Portfolio Turnover
The Multi-Asset Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 48.02% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Multi-Asset Fund invests in a mix of equity securities and fixed-income securities. Under normal market conditions, the Fund allocates between 50% and 75% of its total assets to equity securities. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stock of companies of all size market capitalizations, rights and warrants. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total assets in securities of foreign issuers listed foreign exchanges (excluding depositary receipts), including up to 25% of its total assets in issuers in emerging markets. The Fund may invest without limit in depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). The Fund may also invest up to 30% of its total assets in non-money market investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in Rule 144A securities.
Under normal market conditions, the Multi-Asset Fund allocates between 25% and 50% of its total assets to fixed-income securities. Fixed-income securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, those of domestic and foreign governments, government agencies, foreign corporate bonds, inflation-protected securities, asset-backed securities, exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”), money-market instruments, convertible securities, bank debt, limited partnerships, municipalities and companies across a wide range of industries, market capitalizations and maturities, and may include, with respect to up to 30% of the Fund’s total assets, those that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”). The types of asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest include mortgage-backed securities.
In general, the Adviser utilizes five key elements in its equity investment philosophy: low valuation, discount to fair value, investment flexibility, focus and long-term perspective. Through a proprietary screening process, the Adviser seeks to identify equity securities with low valuations combined with growing earnings, cash flow and/or book value which the Adviser describes as “growth stocks at value prices.” The Multi-Asset Fund may also invest in “special situations,” which may occur when the securities of a company are affected by circumstances, including, but not limited to, hidden assets (i.e., assets that may be undervalued on a company’s balance sheet or otherwise difficult to value and therefore not properly reflected in the company’s share price), spinoffs, liquidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, mergers, management changes and technological changes. The Adviser seeks to identify fixed-income investments with favorable risk-reward characteristics. In screening for suitable investments, the Adviser considers many factors, including yield-to-maturity, credit quality, liquidity, call risk, duration risk, and capital appreciation potential.
The Multi-Asset Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities, money market mutual funds and money market instruments due to a lack of suitable investment opportunities or for temporary defensive purposes.
When selling securities, the Adviser considers the same factors it uses in evaluating a security for purchase and generally sells securities that it believes no longer have sufficient upside potential.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Losing all or a portion of your investment is a risk of investing in the Multi-Asset Fund. The following risks are considered principal and could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
Market and Regulatory Risk. Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole. Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity. Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments. The Fund's investments may decline in value due to factors affecting individual issuers (such as the results of supply and demand), or sectors within the securities markets. The value of a security or other investment also may go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest rates or exchange rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, unexpected events and their aftermaths, such as the spread of deadly diseases; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; financial, political or social disruptions; terrorism and war; and other tragedies or catastrophes, can cause investor fear and panic, which can adversely affect the economies of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen.
Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value.
Management Risk. The Multi-Asset Fund is an actively managed portfolio. The Adviser’s management practices and investment strategies might not produce the desired results. The Adviser may be incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s appreciation potential.
Foreign and Emerging Market Securities Risk. Investments in foreign currencies and foreign issuers are subject to additional risks, including political and economic risks, greater volatility, civil conflicts and war, sanctions or other measures by the United States or other governments, liquidity risks, currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible foreign controls on investment, expropriation and nationalization risks, and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of foreign markets. Events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable becoming riskier and more volatile. These risks are magnified in countries in “emerging markets.” Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers.
Depositary Receipt Risk.  Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, including, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad, currency movements and different legal, regulatory and tax environments.
Foreign Currency Risk. Currency movements may negatively impact value even when there is no change in value of the security in the issuer’s home country.  Currency management strategies may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Multi-Asset Fund if currencies do not perform as the Adviser expects.
Large-Sized Company Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges like changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. In addition, large-cap companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
Small-and Medium-Sized Company Risk. Small- and medium-sized companies often have less predictable earnings, more limited product lines, markets, distribution channels or financial resources and the management of such companies may be dependent upon one or few key people. The market movements of equity securities of small- and medium-sized companies may be more abrupt and volatile than the market movements of equity securities of larger, more established companies or the stock market in general and small-sized companies in particular, are generally less liquid than the equity securities of larger companies.
Investment Style Risk. The Adviser follows an investing style that favors relatively low valuations.  At times when this style is out of favor, the Multi-Asset Fund may underperform funds that follow different investing styles.
Investment Company Risk. When the Multi-Asset Fund invests in an ETF or mutual fund, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s or mutual fund’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees. The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETF or mutual fund holds. The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs.
Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The following risks are associated with the Multi-Asset Fund’s investment in fixed-income securities.
Prepayment and Extension Risk. The risk that the securities may be paid off earlier (prepayment) or later (extension) than expected. Either situation could cause securities to pay lower-than-market rates of interest, which could hurt the Multi-Asset Fund’s yield or share price.
Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s investments in fixed income securities will change in value based on changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of these investments generally declines. Securities with greater interest rate sensitivity and longer maturities generally are subject to greater fluctuations in value.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer’s financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer’s securities and may lead to the issuer’s inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal.
High-Yield Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”) are subject to additional risk factors due to the speculative nature of these securities, such as increased possibility of default liquidation of the security, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer.
Municipal Securities Risk. Municipal securities rely on the creditworthiness or revenue production of their issuers or auxiliary credit enhancement features. Municipal securities may be difficult to obtain because of limited supply, which may increase the cost of such securities and effectively reduce a portfolio’s yield. Typically, less information is available about a municipal issuer than is available for other types of securities issuers.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk.  Asset-backed securities are subject to certain risks including prepayment and call risks. When an obligation is prepaid and when securities are called, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or fail to recover additional amounts (i.e., premiums) paid for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected capital loss and/or a decrease in the amount of dividends and yield. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may be subject to extension risk, and may receive principal later than expected. As a result, in periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility. During periods of difficult or frozen credit markets, significant changes in interest rates, or deteriorating economic conditions, such
securities may decline in value, face valuation difficulties, become more volatile and/or become illiquid.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed-income securities as described above, the structure of certain mortgage-backed securities may make their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, which may cause their prices to be more volatile than other fixed-income securities.
Exchange-Traded Note Risk.  The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying securities’ markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced index.  In addition, the notes issued by ETNs and held by a fund are unsecured debt of the issuer.
Bank Debt Risk.  The Multi-Asset Fund’s investments in secured and unsecured assignments of bank debt may create substantial risk.  In making investments in such debt, which are loans made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest.
Inflation Protected Securities Risk.  The value of inflation protected securities generally will fluctuate in response to changes in “real” interest rates, generally decreasing when real interest rates rise and increasing when real interest rates fall. Real interest rates represent nominal (or stated) interest rates reduced by the expected impact of inflation. In addition, interest payments on inflation-indexed securities will generally vary up or down along with the rate of inflation.
Convertible Bond Risk.  Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt security risks and equity risk.  Convertible bonds are subject to equity risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond.  The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.
Rule 144A Securities Risk. The market for Rule 144A securities typically is less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Rule 144A securities carry the risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Multi-Asset Fund to sell these securities.
Special Situations Risk. There is a risk that the special situation (i.e., spin-off, liquidation, merger, etc.) might not occur, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Multi-Asset Fund. In addition, investments in special situation companies may be illiquid and difficult to value, which will require the Fund to employ fair value procedures to value its holdings in such investments.
Performance
The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Multi-Asset Fund. The bar chart shows the annual returns for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year to year. The table shows how the Fund’s average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception compare with those of broad measures of market performance and an index that reflects the Lipper category applicable to the Fund. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.scharffunds.com or by calling the Fund toll-free at 866-5SCHARF.
Annual Returns as of December 31 – Institutional Class
ck0001027596-20200930_g3.jpg
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 10.39% (quarter ended June 30, 2020) and the lowest return for a calendar quarter was -11.55% (quarter ended March 31, 2020).
Average Annual Total Returns(for the periods ended December 31, 2020)
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2020)


Institutional Class(1)
1 Year5 Years
Since
 Inception
(12/31/2012)
Return Before Taxes
11.66%8.42%9.18%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
10.68%7.34%8.18%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
7.58%6.50%7.25%
Retail Class(1)
Return Before Taxes
11.39%8.14%8.90%
S&P 500® Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
18.40%15.22%15.18%
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
7.51%4.44%3.30%
Lipper Balanced Funds Index
(reflects no deduction for taxes)
13.43%9.60%8.81%
The after-tax returns were calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold shares of the Multi-Asset Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”).
Scharf Global Opportunity Fund
Scharf Global Opportunity Fund
Investment Objective
The Scharf Global Opportunity Fund (the “Global Opportunity Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Global Opportunity Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Retail Class
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held for 15 days or less)
2.00%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees0.99%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.25%
Other Expenses (includes Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee)0.89%
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee0.10%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
2.13%
Less: Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement(2)
-1.23%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement0.90%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Retail Class
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held for 15 days or less)
2.00%
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees0.99%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.25%
Other Expenses (includes Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee)0.89%
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee0.10%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
2.13%
Less: Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement(2)
-1.23%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement0.90%
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Opportunity Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the Expense Cap only in the first year).
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
$92$548$1,031$2,365
Portfolio Turnover
The Global Opportunity Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 60.69% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
The Global Opportunity Fund primarily invests in U.S. and non-U.S. equity securities that the Adviser believes have significantly more appreciation potential than downside risk over the long term. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stock of companies of all size market capitalizations, rights and warrants. Foreign securities in which the Fund may invest may be domiciled in countries outside of the U.S. and may be securities listed on foreign exchanges as well as in the form of depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). There are no geographic limits on the Fund’s investments, and the Fund may invest without limit in securities of companies located both in the U.S. and abroad and in developed or emerging markets. However, the Fund will invest primarily in the securities of companies located in at least four different countries. The Fund may also invest up to 30% of its total assets in non-money market investment companies, including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest in Rule 144A securities. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will typically invest in less than 50 securities.
In general, the Adviser utilizes five key elements in its equity investment philosophy: low valuation, discount to fair value, investment flexibility, focus and long-term perspective. Through a proprietary screening process, the Adviser seeks to identify investments with low valuations combined with growing earnings, cash flow and/or book value which the Adviser describes as “growth stocks at value prices.” The Global Opportunity Fund may also invest in “special situations,” which may occur when the securities of a company are affected by circumstances, including, but not limited to, hidden assets (i.e., assets that may be undervalued on a company’s balance sheet or otherwise difficult to value and therefore not properly reflected in the company’s share price), spinoffs, liquidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, mergers, management changes and technological changes.
In addition, the Global Opportunity Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in fixed-income securities. Fixed-income securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, those of domestic and foreign governments, government agencies, inflation-protected securities, asset-backed securities, exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”), money market instruments, convertible securities, bank debt, limited partnerships, municipalities and companies across a wide range of industries and market capitalizations and may be of any maturity and include those that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”). The types of asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest include mortgage-backed securities.
The Global Opportunity Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities, money market mutual funds and money market instruments due to a lack of suitable investment opportunities or for temporary defensive purposes.
When selling securities, the Adviser considers the same factors it uses in evaluating a security for purchase and generally sells securities that it believes no longer have sufficient upside potential.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Global Opportunity Fund
Losing all or a portion of your investment is a risk of investing in the Global Opportunity Fund. The following risks are considered principal and could affect the value of your investment in the Fund:
Market and Regulatory Risk.  Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole. Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity. Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments. The Fund's investments may decline in value due to factors affecting individual issuers (such as the results of supply and demand), or sectors within the securities markets. The value of a security or other investment also may go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest rates or exchange rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, unexpected events and their aftermaths, such as the spread of deadly diseases; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; financial, political or social disruptions; terrorism and war; and other tragedies or catastrophes, can cause investor fear and panic, which can adversely affect the economies of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen.
Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value.
Management Risk. The Global Opportunity Fund is an actively managed portfolio. The Adviser’s management practices and investment strategies might not produce the desired results. The Adviser may be incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s appreciation potential.
Foreign and Emerging Market Securities Risk. Investments in foreign currencies and foreign issuers are subject to additional risks, including political and economic risks, greater volatility, civil conflicts and war, sanctions or other measures by the United States or other governments, liquidity risks, currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible foreign controls on investment, expropriation and nationalization risks, and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of foreign markets. Events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable becoming riskier and more volatile. These risks are magnified in countries in “emerging markets.” Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers.
Depositary Receipt Risk.  Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, including, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad, currency movements and different legal, regulatory and tax environments.
Foreign Currency Risk. Currency movements may negatively impact value even when there is no change in value of the security in the issuer’s home country.  Currency management strategies may substantially change the Global Opportunity Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the Adviser expects.
Large-Sized Company Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges like changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. In addition, large-cap companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
Small- and Medium-Sized Company Risk. Small- and medium-sized companies often have less predictable earnings, more limited product lines, markets, distribution channels or financial resources and the management of such companies may be dependent upon one or few key people. The market movements of equity securities of small- and medium-sized companies may be more abrupt and volatile than the market movements of equity securities of larger, more established companies or the stock market in general and small-sized companies in particular, are generally less liquid than the equity securities of larger companies.
Investment Style Risk. The Adviser follows an investing style that favors relatively low valuations.  At times when this style is out of favor, the Global Opportunity Fund may underperform funds that follow different investing styles.
Investment Company Risk. When the Global Opportunity Fund invests in an ETF or mutual fund, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s or mutual fund’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees. The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETF or mutual fund holds. The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs.
Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The following risks are associated with the Global Opportunity Fund’s investment in fixed-income securities.
Prepayment and Extension Risk. The risk that the securities may be paid off earlier (prepayment) or later (extension) than expected. Either situation could cause securities to pay lower-than-market rates of interest, which could hurt the Global Opportunity Fund’s yield or share price.
Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s investments in fixed income securities will change in value based on changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of these investments generally declines. Securities with greater interest rate sensitivity and longer maturities generally are subject to greater fluctuations in value.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer’s financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer’s securities and may lead to the issuer’s inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal.
High-Yield Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”) are subject to additional risk factors due to the speculative nature of these securities, such as increased possibility of default liquidation of the security, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer.
Municipal Securities Risk. Municipal securities rely on the creditworthiness or revenue production of their issuers or auxiliary credit enhancement features. Municipal securities may be difficult to obtain because of limited supply, which may increase the cost of such securities and effectively reduce a portfolio’s yield. Typically, less information is available about a municipal issuer than is available for other types of securities issuers.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk.  Asset-backed securities are subject to certain risks including prepayment and call risks. When an obligation is prepaid and when securities are called, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or fail to recover additional amounts (i.e., premiums) paid for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected capital loss and/or a decrease in the amount of dividends and yield. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may be subject to extension risk, and may receive principal later than expected. As a result, in periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility. During periods of difficult or frozen credit markets, significant changes in interest rates, or deteriorating economic conditions, such
securities may decline in value, face valuation difficulties, become more volatile and/or become illiquid.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed-income securities as described above, the structure of certain mortgage-backed securities may make their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, which may cause their prices to be more volatile than other fixed-income securities.
Exchange-Traded Note Risk.  The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying securities’ markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced index.  In addition, the notes issued by ETNs and held by the Global Opportunity Fund are unsecured debt of the issuer.
Bank Debt Risk.  The Global Opportunity Fund’s investments in secured and unsecured assignments of bank debt may create substantial risk.  In making investments in such debt, which are loans made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest.
Inflation Protected Securities Risk.  The value of inflation protected securities generally will fluctuate in response to changes in “real” interest rates, generally decreasing when real interest rates rise and increasing when real interest rates fall. Real interest rates represent nominal (or stated) interest rates reduced by the expected impact of inflation. In addition, interest payments on inflation-indexed securities will generally vary up or down along with the rate of inflation.
Convertible Bond Risk.  Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt security risks and equity risk.  Convertible bonds are subject to equity risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond.  The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.
Rule 144A Securities Risk. The market for Rule 144A securities typically is less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Rule 144A securities carry the risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Global Opportunity Fund to sell these securities.
Special Situations Risk. There is a risk that the special situation (i.e., spin-off, liquidation, merger, etc.) might not occur, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Global Opportunity Fund. In addition, investments in special situation companies may be illiquid and difficult to value, which will require the Fund to employ fair value procedures to value its holdings in such investments.
Performance
The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Global Opportunity Fund. The bar chart shows the annual return for the Fund’s Retail Class shares from year to year. The table shows how the Fund’s average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, and since inception compare with that of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.scharffunds.com or by calling the Fund toll-free at 866-5SCHARF.
Annual Returns as of December 31 – Retail Class
ck0001027596-20200930_g4.jpg
During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 15.08% (quarter ended December 31, 2020) and the lowest return for a calendar quarter was -18.64% (quarter ended March 31, 2020).
Average Annual Total Returns
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2020)

Retail Class
1 Year5 Years
Since Inception
(10/14/2014)
Return Before Taxes
11.91%11.91%11.07%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
11.46%10.45%9.70%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
7.54%9.27%8.66%
MSCI All Country World Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
16.25%12.26%10.26%
The after-tax returns were calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold shares of the Global Opportunity Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”).
Scharf Alpha Opportunity Fund
Scharf Alpha Opportunity Fund
Investment Objective
The Scharf Alpha Opportunity Fund (the “Alpha Opportunity Fund” or the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation and to provide returns above inflation while exposing investors to less volatility than typical equity investments.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Alpha Opportunity Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Retail
Class
Institutional
Class
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held for 15 days or less)
2.00 %2.00 %
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees0.99 %0.99 %
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.25 %None
Other Expenses (includes Interest Expense and Dividends on Securities Sold Short and Shareholder Servicing Plan Fees)2.16 %2.16 %
Interest Expense and Dividends on Securities Sold Short0.99%0.99%
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee0.10%0.10%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
3.40 %3.15 %
Less: Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement(2)
-1.41 %-1.41 %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement1.99 %1.74 %
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Retail
Class
Institutional
Class
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held for 15 days or less)
2.00 %2.00 %
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees0.99 %0.99 %
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.25 %None
Other Expenses (includes Interest Expense and Dividends on Securities Sold Short and Shareholder Servicing Plan Fees)2.16 %2.16 %
Interest Expense and Dividends on Securities Sold Short0.99%0.99%
Shareholder Servicing Plan Fee0.10%0.10%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)
3.40 %3.15 %
Less: Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement(2)
-1.41 %-1.41 %
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement1.99 %1.74 %
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Alpha Opportunity Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (taking into account the Expense Cap only in the first year).
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
1 Year3 Years5 Years10 Years
Retail Class$202$914$1,648$3,590
Institutional Class$177$839$1,527$3,360
Portfolio Turnover
The Alpha Opportunity Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 50.13% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal market conditions, the Alpha Opportunity Fund primarily invests in equity securities that the Adviser believes have significantly more appreciation potential than downside risk over the long term. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stock of companies of all size market capitalizations, rights and warrants. There are no geographic limits on the Fund’s investments, and the Fund may invest without limit in securities of companies located both in the U.S. and abroad and in developed or emerging markets. Such foreign securities may be listed on foreign exchanges as well as in the form of depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). The Fund may also invest without limit in mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund may also invest in Rule 144A securities.
The Alpha Opportunity Fund also takes short positions in one or more ETFs that mimic broad market indices such as the Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) 500® Index or the Value Line Composite Index, or a narrower market index such as the S&P 100® Index. A short position occurs when the Fund sells a security which it does not own in anticipation of purchasing the same security in the future at a lower price to close the short position. Under normal market conditions, the net long exposure of the Fund (gross long exposures minus gross short exposures) is expected to range between +30% and +70% net long. The Fund may utilize leverage of no more than 30% of the Fund’s total assets as part of the portfolio management process. The Adviser defines leverage as the percentage by which the value of long portfolio positions is greater than 100% of the portfolio value.
In general, the Adviser utilizes five key elements in its equity investment philosophy: low valuation, discount to fair value, investment flexibility, focus and long-term perspective. Through a proprietary screening process, the Adviser seeks to identify investments with low valuations combined with growing earnings, cash flow and/or book value which the Adviser describes as “growth stocks at value prices.” The Alpha Opportunity Fund may also invest in “special situations,” which may occur when the securities of a company are affected by circumstances, including, but not limited to, hidden assets (i.e., assets that may be undervalued on a company’s balance sheet or otherwise difficult to value and therefore not properly reflected in the company’s share price), spinoffs, liquidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, mergers, management changes and technological changes.
In addition, the Alpha Opportunity Fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in fixed-income securities of any duration and any maturity. Fixed-income securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, those of domestic and foreign governments, government agencies, inflation-protected securities, asset-backed securities, exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”), money market instruments, convertible securities, bank debt, limited partnerships, municipalities and companies across a wide range of industries, market capitalizations and maturities and may include those that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”). The types of asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest include mortgage-backed securities.
The Alpha Opportunity Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities, money market mutual funds and money market instruments due to a lack of suitable investment opportunities or for temporary defensive purposes.
When selling securities, the Adviser considers the same factors it uses in evaluating a security for purchase and generally sells securities that it believes no longer have sufficient upside potential.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
Losing all or a portion of your investment is a risk of investing in the Alpha Opportunity Fund. The following risks could affect the value of your investment:

Market and Regulatory Risk. Events in the financial markets and economy may cause volatility and uncertainty and adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Market events may affect a single issuer, industry, sector, or the market as a whole. Traditionally liquid investments may experience periods of diminished liquidity. Governmental and regulatory actions, including tax law changes, may also impair portfolio management and have unexpected or adverse consequences on particular markets, strategies, or investments. The Fund's investments may decline in value due to factors affecting individual issuers (such as the results of supply and demand), or sectors within the securities markets. The value of a security or other investment also may go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in interest rates or exchange rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. In addition, unexpected events and their aftermaths, such as the spread of deadly diseases; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; financial, political or social disruptions; terrorism and war; and other tragedies or catastrophes, can cause investor fear and panic, which can adversely affect the economies of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen.
Equity Securities Risk. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or political conditions. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value.
Management Risk. The Alpha Opportunity Fund is an actively managed portfolio. The Adviser’s management practices and investment strategies might not produce the desired results. The Adviser may be incorrect in its assessment of a stock’s appreciation potential.
Leverage Risk. Leverage is investment exposure which exceeds the initial amount invested. Leverage can cause the portfolio to lose more than the principal amount invested. Leverage can magnify the portfolio’s gains and losses and therefore increase its volatility.
Foreign and Emerging Market Securities Risk. Investments in foreign currencies and foreign issuers are subject to additional risks, including political and economic risks, greater volatility, civil conflicts and war, sanctions or other measures by the United States or other governments, liquidity risks,
currency fluctuations, higher transaction costs, delayed settlement, possible foreign controls on investment, expropriation and nationalization risks, and less stringent investor protection and disclosure standards of foreign markets. Events and evolving conditions in certain economies or markets may alter the risks associated with investments tied to countries or regions that historically were perceived as comparatively stable becoming riskier and more volatile. These risks are magnified in countries in “emerging markets.” Emerging market countries typically have less-established market economies than developed countries and may face greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties. In addition, emerging markets typically present greater illiquidity and price volatility concerns due to smaller or limited local capital markets and greater difficulty in determining market valuations of securities due to limited public information on issuers.
Depositary Receipt Risk.  Depositary receipts are subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities, including, among other things, political, social and economic developments abroad, currency movements and different legal, regulatory and tax environments.
Foreign Currency Risk. Currency movements may negatively impact value even when there is no change in value of the security in the issuer’s home country.  Currency management strategies may substantially change the Alpha Opportunity Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the Adviser expects.
Short Sales Risk. A short sale is the sale by the Alpha Opportunity Fund of a security which it does not own in anticipation of purchasing the same security in the future at a lower price to close the short position. A short sale will be successful if the price of the shorted security decreases. However, if the underlying security goes up in price during the period in which the short position is outstanding, the Fund will realize a loss. The risk on a short sale is unlimited because the Fund must buy the shorted security at the higher price to complete the transaction. Therefore, short sales may be subject to greater risks than investments in long positions.
Large-Sized Company Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges like changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. In addition, large-cap companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
Small- and Medium-Sized Company Risk. Small- and medium-sized companies often have less predictable earnings, more limited product lines, markets, distribution channels or financial resources and the management of such companies may be dependent upon one or few key people. The market movements of equity securities of small- and medium-sized companies may be more abrupt and volatile than the market movements of equity securities of larger, more established companies or the stock market in general and small-sized companies in particular, are generally less liquid than the equity securities of larger companies.
Investment Style Risk. The Adviser follows an investing style that favors relatively low valuations.  At times when this style is out of favor, the Alpha Opportunity Fund may underperform funds that follow different investing styles.
Investment Company Risk. When the Alpha Opportunity Fund invests in an ETF or mutual fund, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s or mutual fund’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees. The risk of owning an ETF or mutual fund generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities the ETF or mutual fund holds. The Fund also will incur brokerage costs when it purchases ETFs. Additionally, the Fund’s use of leverage with regard to ETFs may subject the Fund to additional risk, as leverage can cause the portfolio to lose more than the principal amount invested.
Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The following risks are associated with the Alpha Opportunity Fund’s investment in fixed-income securities.
Prepayment and Extension Risk. The risk that the securities may be paid off earlier (prepayment) or later (extension) than expected. Either situation could cause securities to pay lower-than-market rates of interest, which could hurt the Alpha Opportunity Fund’s yield or share price.
Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s investments in fixed income securities will change in value based on changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of these investments generally declines. Securities with greater interest rate sensitivity and longer maturities generally are subject to greater fluctuations in value.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer’s financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer’s securities and may lead to the issuer’s inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal.
High-Yield Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities that are rated below investment grade (i.e., “junk bonds”) are subject to additional risk factors due to the speculative nature of these securities, such as increased possibility of default liquidation of the security, and changes in value based on public perception of the issuer.
Municipal Securities Risk. Municipal securities rely on the creditworthiness or revenue production of their issuers or auxiliary credit enhancement features. Municipal securities may be difficult to obtain because of limited supply, which may increase the cost of such securities and effectively reduce a portfolio’s yield. Typically, less information is available about a municipal issuer than is available for other types of securities issuers.
Asset-Backed Securities Risk.  Asset-backed securities are subject to certain risks including prepayment and call risks. When an obligation is prepaid and when securities are called, the Fund may have to reinvest in securities with a lower yield or fail to recover additional amounts (i.e., premiums) paid for securities with higher interest rates, resulting in an unexpected capital loss and/or a decrease in the amount of dividends and yield. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may be subject to extension risk, and may receive principal later than expected. As a result, in periods of rising interest rates, the Fund may exhibit additional volatility. During periods of difficult or frozen credit markets, significant changes in interest rates, or deteriorating economic conditions, such securities may decline in value, face valuation difficulties, become more volatile and/or become illiquid.
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed-income securities as described above, the structure of certain mortgage-backed securities may make their reaction to interest rates and other factors difficult to predict, which may cause their prices to be more volatile than other fixed-income securities.
Exchange-Traded Note Risk.  The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying securities’ markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced index.  In addition, the notes issued by ETNs and held by the Alpha Opportunity Fund are unsecured debt of the issuer.
Bank Debt Risk.  The Alpha Opportunity Fund’s investments in secured and unsecured assignments of bank debt may create substantial risk.  In making investments in such debt, which are loans made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest.
Inflation Protected Securities Risk.  The value of inflation protected securities generally will fluctuate in response to changes in “real” interest rates, generally decreasing when real interest rates rise and increasing when real interest rates fall. Real interest rates represent nominal (or stated) interest rates
reduced by the expected impact of inflation. In addition, interest payments on inflation-indexed securities will generally vary up or down along with the rate of inflation.
Convertible Bond Risk.  Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt security risks and equity risk.  Convertible bonds are subject to equity risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond.  The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.
Rule 144A Securities Risk. The market for Rule 144A securities typically is less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Rule 144A securities carry the risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Alpha Opportunity Fund to sell these securities.
Special Situations Risk. There is a risk that the special situation (i.e., spin-off, liquidation, merger, etc.) might not occur, which could have a negative impact on the price of the issuer’s securities and fail to produce gains or produce a loss for the Alpha Opportunity Fund. In addition, investments in special situation companies may be illiquid and difficult to value, which will require the Fund to employ fair value procedures to value its holdings in such investments.
Performance
The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Alpha Opportunity Fund. The bar chart shows the annual return for the Fund’s Retail Class shares from year to year. The table shows how the Fund’s average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years and since inception compare with those of broad measures of market performance. The Institutional Class did not commence operations prior to the date of this Prospectus. The following information shows only the performance for the Retail Class shares of the Fund. The performance of the Institutional Class shares would differ only to the extent that the Institutional Class shares have different expenses than the Retail Class shares. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.scharffunds.com or by calling the Fund toll-free at 866-5SCHARF.
Annual Returns as of December 31 – Retail Class
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During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 4.91% (quarter ended September 30, 2018) and the lowest return for a calendar quarter was -9.24% (quarter ended March 31, 2020).
Average Annual Total Returns(for the periods ended December 31, 2020)
Average Annual Total Returns
(for the periods ended December 31, 2020)

Retail Class
1 Year5 Years
Since Inception
(12/31/2015)
Return Before Taxes
-2.98%1.37%1.37%
Return After Taxes on Distributions
-3.00%1.23%1.23%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares-1.75%1.04%1.04%
S&P 500® Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
18.40%15.22%15.22%
HFRX Equity Hedge Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
4.60%2.92%2.92%
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
7.51%4.44%4.44%
The after-tax returns were calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold shares of the Alpha Opportunity Fund through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). Return after Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Funds shares may be higher due to a capital loss. Return after Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than Return before Taxes and Return after Taxes on Distributions when there is a capital loss.